Guide for logging cables



Sept. 14 1926.

Cl C. MANLEY GUIDE FOR LQGGING CABLES Filed Oct. 241 1925 corinr c. MANLEY, or

are.

CEANDALL, MISSISSIPPI.

GUIDE son. rosemaoanrns.

Application filed. Gctober This invention relates to cable guides or :tairleaders, as they are called, and particu larlv to a cable guide adapted to be applied to and used in connection with a cable engine in logging operations. I

Asthe dense stands of timber in many situations near depletion and as the tracts of standing timber become more and more isolated, steam .slridd-ers are gradually be ing replaced by small one-line gasoline trao tor skidders which can be very readily re moved from place to place over theground withouteizpensivc railroad construction. In the operation of both the steam slndd-e rs and tractor slridders there is a great deal of wear upon the cables, and inasmuch as wire rope oi cable is the largest single item of expense incurred in the operation of a ground sk1d-- der. this wear is a very appreciable expense.

The object or my invention is to provide a tairleader or guide so constructed that the wear upon the cable at the point where it moves onto the. drum of the skidder will be reduced as much as possible to thereby very greatly increase the life of the cable or wire rope.

A further object is to provide a construction of this character wherein there s mounted a plurality of sheaves d1sposed 1n angular relation to each other and the pe rinheries of which define a cable passage, th ese sheaves being so arranged that the cable may move in different directions, depending on the direction of strain, and yet always come in contact with a sheave to thus reduce any possible wear thereon.

Other objects have to do with the details of construction and arrangement of parts will appear more fully hereinafter.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein I A F" in 1 is a front elevation of my improved cable guide showing the A frame in section;

Figure 2 is a section on the line Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of a portion of the frame 10 with my device mounted thereon;

Referring; to this drawing, it will be seen that l have not attempted to illustrate the skidder, that is. the motor operated windins; drum upon which the cable A is wound, but it may be said that my device is sup ported upon an A frame composed of the two angle irons 10, these angle irons being 1925. Serial No. 64,613.

disposed in convergent relation-in a direction away from the skidder and being attached at their diverging ends to the frame of the skidder, thus forming what 1s known as an A frame, the angle irons being connected at their meeting ends. I

My fair-leader comprises the two laterally disposed, angular brackets, designated 11 and 12. Each of these has a vertical portion 13, the inwardly directed horizontal portion 14, and the upwardly extending portion 15. The portions 15 are disposed relative'ly close to each other, while the portions 13 are relatively wide apart. Spacing the portions 13 of these angle irons apart is an approximately rectangular frame 16 composed of flat iron having a width equal to the width of the members 11 and 12. This flat iron is bent to form a rectangular box.

as it may be termed, the ends of the sheet iro-n coming together at 1. The bottom of this box is adapted to be bolted to the angle irons 10 by means of the bolts 18 and the ends of the box are bolted to the portions 13 of the angle iron-s 11 and 12 by means of the bolts 19. The top element of the box 16 or rectangular frame is spaced from the horizontal portions 1d of the angle irons 11 and 12, as disclosed, to receive between them the two relatively spaced sheaves 20 and 21, 2

these sheaves being in ordinary practice about two inches thick and having a diameter of about six inches. These sheaves are mounted upon vertical bolts 22 which pass through the horizontal portions 14 of the angle irons and through the horizontal portion of the supporting frame 16.

Disposed between the vertically extending portions 15 of the members 11 and 12 is a sheave which is preferably eight inches in diameter and two inches thick, this being supported by means of a bolt 24. The sheave 23 has its lateral flanges or margins extend ing about one-eighth of an inch lower than the upper flanges of the two six-inch sheaves 20 and 21 so that an approximately tre-' toil-shaped passage 25 is formed within which the wire cable A operates.

It will be obvious now that wire rope or cable may move from sheave to sheave, depending on the direction ofstrain, and that this will considerably extend the life of the wire rope because in all positions it will be supported against a sheave. It will be seen that my fair-leader is very simple in construction and at the same time very firmly braced and supported and that the sup porting frame or box 16 braces the lateral angle irons and supports them in proper position so that the sheaves 20 and 21 and the sheave 23 are disposed sufliciently above the angle irons 10 as to properly guide the cable to the winding drum. The elements of the device may be readily taken apart for the insertion of new sheaves at any time. Preferably the she-fies will have bronze bushings directly engaging the bolts which rotatably support the sheaves.

In actual practice it has been found that the life of the wire cable has been doubled.

I claim 1. A cable guide comprising an approXivbar extending longitudinally of the frame below sa d upwardly extending members, a sheave disposed between the upwardly extending members and having its rim approximately coincident with one side of the rectangular frame, and sheaves supported on said frame at right angles to the first named sheave and one on each side thereof, the lateral sheaves and the first named sheave together defining three sides of a cable passage, the fourth side of which is defined by said cross bar.

2. A cableguide comprising a supporting frame including laterally disposed angular irons each embodying an upwardly extending lower portion and a horizontal portion and an upwardly extending upper portion, the irons confronting each other, a sub-stantially rectangular metallic frame disposed between the lower portions of the angle 1,5ae,eee

the lateral sheaves and the vertical sheave.

together defining a cable passage.

3. A cable guide comprising a rectangular frame formed from flat iron and having means whereby it may be attached to a support, lateral irons disposed to bear against the ends of said frame, each lateral iron having a vertical lower portion, a horizontal portion and a vertical upper portion, bolts holding the lower portions of the lateral irons to the ends of said frame, a sheave disposed between the upper vertical portions of said lateral irons, a bolt rotatably supporting said sheave, lateral sheaves disposed between the upper horizontal portion of the rectangular frame and the horizontal portions of the lateral irons, and bolts passing downward through said portions of the lateral irons and through the horizontal portion of the frame and rotatably supporting said sheaves, the first named sheave and the last named sheaves together defining a cable passage.

In testimony whereof I hereunto my signature.

GOLEY C. MANLEY.

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